GEMELLI NEWS

It’s Valentine’s Day. When hearts beat a little faster. Florists
work overtime. And food-loving lovers are looking for a seductive place in which
to wine and dine and … well, pitch the woo! May we suggest a suggestive space
for all this delicious intrigue? It’s Gemelli, of course, where a cool, sexy vibe
sets the stage for a prelude to amour. Chef Clark Gilbert is getting the menu
ready, and while it’s still in the planning stages, you can be sure it will be a study
in sinful sensuality. We’re taking reservations for Saturday, February 11, and

Tuesday, February 14, so book your table right now. Cupid will be here, and we
don’t want you to miss out on the romance.

Speaking of toasts, here’s something else you’ll want to drink to: Gemelli turns
into your neighborhood BYOB every Monday night, when you can personalize your
dinner with your own favorite libations. Got a special bottle of wine or an amazing
brew you’d like to try with one of our dishes? Bring it around on Monday. Or, if you’d
like advice on wine and food pairing, call us in advance. We’ll be happy to help you
choose just the right complement to your favorite menu selection.

While Gemelli’s surroundings are decidedly chic, it’s the specialty drinks
that are quickly becoming the toast of the town. Take the chocolate Manhattan.
Rye whiskey infused with Dutch cocoa and sweetened with Crème de Griotte
and brandied cherries. The roasted apple infused vodka with baking spices and
citrus. Or the rosa bellini, with rose-scented peach essence and sparkling wine.
By the way, Happy Hour is 5 to 7, every evening, everywhere in the restaurant.
Watch for featured $5 cocktails and selected $discounted wines by the glass and
craft bottled beers. Cheers!

Do you know what’s missing from a lot of food these days?
Taste! That’s why Chef Clark Gilbert is so passionate about flavors – the way
they tickle the palate, the way they work together to make the most of each
other, the way they simply make you smile. The menu at Gemelli reflects Clark’s
insistence on intense flavors and his skill at seasoning each dish just so at
strategic points during the cooking process. The result? His beef cheeks are
deep and rich. His pappardelle with braised duck is earthy and luscious. And
his spicy lamb meatballs with polenta? Burst after burst of tangy, delectable
goodness! But words are just words. Come savor the flavor and take a front
row seat to witness Clark’s mastery of his craft! There’re only three seats that
overlook the open kitchen, but they are the best seats in the house! Book your
reservation to get up close to the action. These seats are hot and go fast!

Philadelphia’s 10 Hottest New Restaurants of 2011
http://www.zagat.com/buzz/philadelphias-10-hottest-new-restaurants-of-2011

View more videos at: http://nbcphiladelphia.com.

Gemelli Is a Miracle on Main Street
By Brian Freedman
Posted Nov. 23, 2011

My first thought when our waitress described Gemelli’s new seasonal cocktail, a pumpkin mojito, was a crestfallen, Really? Clark Gilbert, who made a nice splash in Narberth with his prior incarnation of Gemelli a few years back, had moved to Manayunk this past summer and, I feared, fallen into the trap that so many had before him, pandering to the post-college crowd with sweet cocktails and flavor combinations about as sensible as Herman Cain’s thought process on matters of foreign policy.

Turns out I was dead wrong.

The drink, a silk-textured, roasty wonder the color of sunset, embodied all that makes this Gemelli an exceptional addition to Manayunk’s eternally frustrating dining scene. In fact, it’s a stellar newcomer to the region’s restaurant universe.

This is food that’s guided by well-developed flavor and seasonal propriety, everything else be damned. There are no unnecessary tricks here, no techniques employed to show off the kitchen’s skill. Even dishes that read a bit baroque on the menu turn out to be carefully considered assemblies of complimentary components that almost always add up to more than the sum of the parts.

At his best, Gilbert sends out gems like the mammoth portion of beef cheeks, a gorgeous plateful of shimmering, ink-toned flesh from New York’s renowned Pat LaFrieda. All the earthiness of the meat—sticky and melty and beyond fork-tender—was balanced by deliriously sweet caramelized cippolini. The slick of sauce, the reduced and concentrated braising liquid, served as a perfect vessel for showing off its constituent house-made veal stock. And just when all of this heartiness threatened to overwhelm, the celery-root risotto swept it up to a brighter level.

Cannelloni accomplished a similarly complex feat, though with a lighter touch. Here, silky kerchiefs of homemade pasta had been wrapped around tender tubes of shrimp-and-lobster mousse and bathed in a cardamom- and cinnamon-perfumed lobster jus. That on its own would have been enough, but the addition of sticky rails of pork belly and meaty slices of nebrodini mushrooms took it over the top: A thoroughly modern surf and turf.

Very occasionally, this tendency to work so many components into a single dish diminishes the entire effect. A recent bruschetta special with silky ribbons of Serrano, honey-caramelized shallots, goat cheese and nicoise olives would have been better without that last component: It was plenty savory without.

But that was a rare over-stretch, and so much of the rest of Gilbert’s food bears the mark of a man confident in his technique, comfortable with his concept, and passionate about the details. This is grown-up food, occasionally challenging and regularly rewarding.

Arancini, those fried risotto balls that have grown a bit tired lately around the region, were given electroshock therapy here and made exciting again. The starch of the arborio and the shreds of salt cod were a witty riff on brandade. Accompanying chorizo aioli—heady and worthy of licking from the plate—and chartreuse-colored buttons of velvety green-olive tapenade may be two of the most exciting condiments I’ve tasted this year. And vitello tonnato, which garnered Gilbert positive attention in Narberth, has made the journey to Main Street with some tweaking: the fried sweetbreads are like the best, earthiest McNuggets you’ve ever had, and the tuna tartare is fresh and emphatic from the clever addition of lemon oil.

All of this is beautifully accompanied by the wide-ranging and original wine list that Clark collaborated on with GM David Howard. Put yourself in his hands and don’t argue with his recommendations. It takes guts to put Austrian St. Laurent and single-vineyard Spanish Petit Verdot on your list, but the risk more than pays off when the glasses are poured.

And make sure to have a glass of sweet-savory Banyuls with your dessert. Its cherry compote notes balance out the yeasty beignets every bit as well as their dipping sauces, and its concentration is a hearty accompaniment to the perfumey flourless chocolate cake.

This is seriously accomplished food in a neighborhood that badly needs it. It’s already, I’d argue, among the top tier of restaurants on Main Street, and definitely worthy of a trip to the neighborhood, wherever you’re coming from.

Source: http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/food/134334788.html

Gemelli on Main: A Must-Visit in Manayunk
Clark Gilbert has moved his Narberth BYO to Philly—and we miss it already.

By Beth Ceccarelli
Published November 18, 2011 at 04:20 PM

For any chef, it must feel pretty good to hear gasps of delight from diners. Such is often the case at Clark Gilbert’s Gemelli on Main, the “downtown” revival of the Narberth BYO, which has found a new home in Manayunk—and scored a liquor license in the process.

What first got me was the plating and presentation. A delicate calamari salad was lightly dressed, tumbled with haricots verts, roasted peppers, potatoes and Niçoise olives, and piled atop paper-thin slices of cucumber. The chilled pea soup, with peekytoe crab salad and English peas, was visually stunning and gastronomically inspired. Everything had a place; nothing was unapproachable or overdone.

Gilbert’s background and expertise in French cuisine are perhaps most evident in his complex, soulful sauces. His subtle command of Italian ingredients and styles is also a gratifying force. The signature gemelli is a constant on the menu, the meat in this Bolognese dish changing on a regular basis. A frequent special, the lobster cannelloni was divine when paired with braised pork belly, wild mushrooms, fava beans and a richly flavored sauce.

Among the seafood and meat options, the barramundi with serrano-wrapped squid, and the pork cheeks with Parmesan polenta and vegetables epitomized the beauty and refinement of French and Italian done right.

That refinement is also evident in Gemelli’s new two-story home. Minimal yet warm, with classy, welcoming touches like hanging lanterns and an open kitchen, Gemelli on Main has an urban feel without trying too hard to be something it’s not. In the end, this gem has an identity all its own—and food that shines.

Source: http://www.mainlinetoday.com/Main-Line-Today/December-2011/Gemelli-on-Main-A-Must-Visit-in-Manayunk/index.php?cparticle=2&siarticle=1#artanc

Gemelli on Main introduces new autumn menu
Posted: Wednesday, November 9, 2011 10:47 am

Although we got a taste of winter weather just a short while ago, it is still officially fall and the seasonal food bounty is in full swing.

And Manayunk’s new hot spot Gemelli on Main is taking advantage of the harvest flavors by introducing a new autumn menu.

“Here at Gemelli on Main, we change our menu seasonally,” explains chef/owner Clark Gilbert. “We’ve embraced some of the season’s best product and are offering some great new dishes. At the same time, we’ve also tweaked some of our signature dishes with seasonal ingredients.”

Diners will have the chance to experience dishes such as Chestnut Soup, Wild Mushroom Tarte and Beet Salad as appetizers. Entrees include Pappardelle pasta with braised rabbit, oven dried tomato and shitaki mushrooms, scallops with a cauliflower puree, pinenuts and golden raisins and beef cheeks with celery root risotto cippolini onions and beef jus.

The restaurant is also offering up two new specialty cocktails served with its house-infused pumpkin rum.  The drinks include a Pumpkin Mojito with muddled mint and fresh citrus and splash of club soda and a Pumpkin Daiquiri with sweetened coconut milk and a splash of lime.

Source: http://www.phillyburbs.com/lifestyle/food/gemelli-on-main-introduces-new-autumn-menu/article_23c8f1de-0aec-11e1-927c-0019bb30f31a.html

It’s a “Twin” Billing at Gemelli on Main: Chef Clark Gilbert Brings Inspirational Franco-Italian fare to Manayunk
Posted by Ken Alan

I can only imagine the challenges in naming a restaurant.
Sometimes, as in the case of 333 Belrose in Radnor, the address says it all. With other situations, such as Malvern’s Flying Pig Saloon, cute and catchy works well.

Occasionally though, the name doesn’t translate into the actual theme. Cases in Point: Floret (Radnor) & Maia (Villanova) – both are now closed. Pretty names for sure, but how did the names correlate to the restaurants?

Not only does Chef Clark Gilbert’s Gemelli roll resonantly off the tongue, but it is a lovely verbal ode to his thirteen year-old twins. Gemelli literally means twins in Italian. Chef Clark has a daughter Riley and son Dylan (both Gemini’s, naturally). The name also classically categorizes Gilbert’s European focus which is quite evident on the Franco side, a bit lighter in Italian offerings.

Chef Clark’s May arrival along Manayunk’s Main Street signals more than a business investment for this well-traveled local chef. Gemelli lays down a solid new foundation for a man whom a few persnickety journalists have considered a perpetual wanderer. Gilbert has averaged a restaurant gig every two years – including stopovers at The Four Seasons, Restaurant Taquet, Avalon and others. One critical and influential reviewer continually labels Gilbert a “journeyman” chef, which, in all honesty, is grating to this highly seasoned professional.

“He tries to make me sound as if I’m peripatetic, like I move around all the time,” Clark told me during a recent visit to his Manayunk restaurant. “Two years in a kitchen? That’s called average in this business.”

Regardless of the past movements he has made, Clark Gilbert has appeared to have settled down in Gemelli, twice to be exact. The first time was at his very popular Narberth neighborhood BYOB, which opened in 2009. Realizing that 40-seats and the lack of a liquor license was limiting, the chef took his twins act across the river. Manayunk has been a transformative experience, to say the least. “I love the urban feel here, the city energy.”

Now Chef Clark has three levels to play in, each a soothing and moody brick red and coffee brown contemporary space. The first floor has a hip bistro feel, with the tidy open kitchen taking center stage. It is overseen by a Romanesque sculpture of twins – apropos Trompe L’oeil imagery representing Gemelli.

The sculpture resides along a wide brick wall and a series of steps which lead up to the dusky second floor mezzanine, where a gas fireplace provides a warming focal point within this romantic terrace. Up a few more steps and the bar beckons via cozy tables, three high-tops/stools overlooking Main Street (perfect people-watching perches), and a comfy but hi-tech bar. A huge overhead mirror transforms into a flat screen TV with the touch of a button by Pete, lead bartender here, who is all-pro.

The dining room is managed by another restaurant vet. David Howard has a long lineage working with Stephen Starr, Jose Garces, Steve Poses, Judy Wicks and others. See? Nothing wrong with being peripatetic, is there? It builds character, experience and a killer resume. Howard’s wine list of 70 Euro-bottles complements Clark’s impressive Franco-Italian fare well.

The menu is concise (10 apps/10 entrees) and shareable.

The Arancini ($12) of fried risotto balls blended with salt cod are croquette-ish and pleasing, even more so when forked across the splashy peppery/piquant duo of chorizo aioli and green olive tapenade. The venison tartare was nicely seasonal, its curried cockle and pistachio vinaigrette a tangy-briny surprise ($14).

For entrees, I sampled the pan seared scallops ($25) which were made autumnal and hearty with cauliflower puree, pine nuts and ice wine-soaked golden raisins. Meanwhile, the house specialty Cannelloni beheld a silken lobster & shrimp lining; nestled against it was fork-tender pork belly. A delicate chiffon of butternut squash ringed the tender meat like a fluffy tutu. The ingredients were studded with woodsy Nebrodini mushrooms and the entirety of the dish was mirrored in a lobster jus ($27). Finally, the evening’s special, Coq au Vin provided the classic marriage of French cuisine and Italian; the piping hot stew of poultry was served within a tender purse of ravioli.

Flourless chocolate cake and good, strong French press coffee completed an outstanding meal.

It was refreshing to witness the tasteful finesse and care-with-cookery being practiced so precisely along this fringe of the city, this close to the ‘burbs. As an example: the pork belly isn’t just simmered, it’s marinated for six hours in a red wine & mirapoix reduction, utterly elevating the intensity of flavors. The open kitchen and his techniques in place, the chef’s decision to go more main stream in Manayunk is a savvy one. Rebirth is in the air along the Schuylkill.

With key staff members, a liquor license and a city-cool vibe, he begins a new chapter in his purportedly roaming gnome career. Inside the aptly named Gemelli, Clark Gilbert has finally come home to stay – hopefully for a long time to come.

Source: http://mainlinedish.com/2011/11/it%E2%80%99s-a-%E2%80%9Ctwin%E2%80%9D-billing-at-gemelli-on-main-chef-clark-gilbert-brings-inspirational-franco-italian-fare-to-manayunk